Pre-rigor temperature and the relationship between lamb tenderisation, free water production, bound water and dry matter

- Lambs were electrically stimulated and changes post rigor measured over time
- Shear force, bound water, dry matter reduce, free water increase
- Free water increase highly correlated with shear force reduction
- These properties were unaffected by pre-rigor temperatures of 4, 7, 15 or 35° C

The M. longissimus from lambs electrically stimulated at 15 min post-mortem were removed after grading, wrapped in polythene film and held at 4 (n = 6), 7 (n = 6), 15 (n = 6, n = 8) and 35 °C (n = 6), until rigor mortis then aged at 15 °C for 0, 4, 24 and 72 h post-rigor. Centrifuged free water increased exponentially, and bound water, dry matter and shear force decreased exponentially over time. Decreases in shear force and increases in free water were closely related (r2 = 0.52) and were unaffected by pre-rigor temperatures.